Clasp



April 5, 1932- s. A. JOHNSON 1,852,462

CLASP Filed Nov. 7, 1931 rl l l A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 `UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE SYLVESTER...J'OHNBOIBL OFNOBTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO .ALBERT E. B;SEEIDEL, F EDGEWOOD, RHODE. ISLAND CLASP Application led November 7,1931. Serial No. 573,597.

This, invention relates to a clasp for use as a socal1ed center catchlocated intermediate the ends of the Watch bracelet, and has for one ofits objects to provide a construction which will be elasticallyeXtendible to snugly fit the Wrist, While at the same time beingdetachable from one of the ends of the bracelet.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a constructionwhich may be passed through one of the ends of an open bracelet linkwith its free end or tip so formed as to temporarily support the linkprior to folding ot' the cover to closed retaining posi tion.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a constructionwhich will be readily accessible for the operator to manipulate.

A still further object of this invention is the provisionof aconstruction Which will be relatively simple of construction, and onewhich will receive one end of the bracelet thereinto so that regardlessof the elastic en` pending of the device substantially the sameappearance will be `presented to the u ser.

Vith these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as Will bemore fully described,

' claims.

In the accompanying drawings with racelet links secured. thereto.

Fig. Qis a view similar to Fig'. 1 with the cover of the outer sectionopenec Fig. 3' is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the inner section asmoved to extended position against the action of the spring.

Fig; 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 With thev braceletends omitted andwith the cover or one member of the inner section as moved to openposition for release of the bracelet end 1': with the link at the lefthand end of the bracelet omitted.

Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 5 with the sections moved to extendedposition.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the inner slide member alone with thecoveromitted.

and particularly pointed out in the appended Fig. 8 is a centralsectional view through the device, taken on substantially line 8-8 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig.11.

Fig. 10 is a central sectional View with" the covers ot' both the innerand outer sections moved to open position, showing in dotted lines theretaining of a link in position.

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11--11 of looking in the direction of thearrows.

It is further desirable in the use of Watch bracelets to provide acenter clasp that the ends may be detached for removing the Wrist Watchfrom the arm. It is also desirable that some resilient action beobtained in the use of bracelet links which do not have elasticallyextendible parts, and in order that this may be accomplished I haveprovided an elastic Figf8 extension in the center clasp'by providing twoH that the Watch when being released will not Fi 1 is a top plan vievv7of my center clasp be dropped, and which also serves as a` tem poraiyhold for this end link prior to moving the parts to holding position;a1id the following is a detailed description of the present embodimentof this invention illustrating the preferred means by which theseadvantageous results may be accomplished.

lVith referenceto the drawings, 10 designates generally the outersection which consists of a body member 11 provided with a bottom Wall1Q and side walls 13 from whichV there extends inwardly flanges 14. Atone end of the body a cover member 15 is hinged by pivot pin 16 passingthrough eyes 17 on the body member and openings in the side Walls 18 ofthe cover.

This cover is held in closed position by means of detente 19 extendinginto openings 20 in the side Walls 13 of the body section.

The inner section consists of a slide member 21 which slides along thebottom wall 12 of the body section and extends beneath the flanges 14thereof. The slide member 21 is provided with bottom wall 42 having afolded portion 22 at one end beneath said flanges to engage the abutment23 extending` downwardly from one end of the flanges to limit themovement of this member relative to the body member orthe outer section.The slide member 21 is folded at one end upon itself to provide a topwall 43 which terminates in a flange 24 spacing it from the bottom wall42 of the member 21. A spring is located beneath this top wall 43 in aslot 25 cut in the wall 42 of this member to receive an abutment finger26, bent upwardly from the bottom wall 12 of the outer section to beengaged by the spring 27 acting between thel folded wall 28 `and theabutment finger 26 to move i the slide member to contracted position.

A hinge eye 29 is rolled from one end of the wall 42 and a cover 30 ispivoted to this hinge eye by means of a pintle pin 31. The cover is ofa'width to be passed through the end link 32 and is provided with ahookV portion 33 to temporarily retain this link in position,

Vafter which the same may be engaged to swing the-cover to clasp overthe fold 28 of the slide member, and retain the same in position to bereleased only by lifting the same by the finger piece -34 from thisposition, while the cover section 15 may be folded over the cover 30 tolock the same against removal.

The inner section is thus free to slide outwardly from the outer sectionby pulling on the end link 32, while the other end link 35` of the chainmay be secured by means of a band shaped connector 36, or the like, tothe pintle pin 16 as illustrated in Fig. 3, thus securing it to theouter section of the clasp.

In order that the bottom wall of the outer section will not cut orabraid the wrist, I have bent the same as illustrated at 38 in K Figs. 5and 10 to direct its edge upwardly.

The foregoing description is directed sole` ly towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilege of resorting to all the Vmechanical changes to which thedevice is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only bythe terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

. 1. i A clasp comprising a pair of slidably related sections, onesection having a body to receive a bracelet link with a retaining memberhinged thereto, the other section having a member hinged to swing in theopposite direction to the hinging of the first said member and to aposition to lock said retaining member in retaining position.

2. A clasp comprising a pair of sections, one slidable within the other,the inner section receiving a bracelet link and provided with a movablemember to releasably retain tion to lock the free ends of said membersin retaining position and swingable from such locking position to permitrelease thereof. c p i 4. A clasp comprising two relatively slid-4 ablesections, one conta-ined within the other, resilient means for movingsaid sect-ionsto contracted position, means on the outer section tosecure one bracelet end thereto,and t means on the inner sectionl todetachably secure another bracelet end thereto, each Section comprisinghinged` members, the members of said inner section swinging apart topermit detachment of one bracelet end and the members of theouter-sections swinging apart'to permit movement of the members of theinner section, and means for'lretaining the members of each section inclosed position.

5. A clasp comprising ,an outer section having a body member, and acover member hinged thereto, means for securing one bracelet end to thehinged end of said section, an inner section within and slidably.related to said outer section and having a pair of hinged membersseparableat their free ends to receive a bracelet end, the free ends ofthe members beingl frictionally kheld together to retain the braceletend in position and the free end of one member of the inner sectionbeing locked inY position by said cover member of the outer section. j

6. A clasp comprising an outer section having a body member, and a covermember hinged thereto, means for securing one bracelet end to the hingedend of said section, an inner section within and slidably related tosaid outer section and having a pair of hinged members separable attheirfree ends to receive a bracelet end, the free ends of the membersbeing frictionally held together to retain the bracelet end in positionand the free end of said memberof the inner section being locked inposition by said cover member ofthe outer section, and resilient meansacting between said sections to move said sections to contractedposition, one withinthe other and permitsliding extending m'ovement 7. Aclasp comprising an outer section having a body member and a covermember hinged thereto, flanges extending inwardly, from the edges ofsaid body member, an inner section having a slide member with aportionbeneath said flanges and a slot therein, a finger on said body memberextending through said slot, a spring acting between said finger and slide member to move the same 5 to contracted position, said slide memberhaving a. portion to receive the end link of a chain, and a memberhinged to said slide member to retain the link in attached position,said cover member closing over said m hinged member to lock the same inretaining position.

8. A clasp comprising an outer section having a body member and a covermember hinged thereto, flanges extending inwardly L, from the edges ofsaid body member, an inner section having a slide member With a portionbeneath said flanges and a slot therein, a finger on said body memberextending through said slot, a spring acting between said iinger andslide member to move the same to contracted position, said slide memherhaving a portion to receive the end link of a chain, and a member hingedto said slide member to retain the link in attached position, said covermember closing over said hinged member to lock Jthe same in retainingposition, and means on said flanges to engage said slide member to limitthe relative movement of said sections.

3o In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

SYLVESTER A. JOHNSON.

